Aspects of the present invention relate generally to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to combustion chambers for internal combustion engines.
Opposed piston engines include a cylinder with a pair of pistons that move toward each other toward top dead center positions to compress gas in the cylinder and near which fuel is injected through a side wall of the cylinder. U.S. Patent App. US2012/0285418 and U.S. Patent App. US2013/0036999, which are incorporated by reference, describe the general structure and operation of an opposed piston engine. U.S. Patent App. US2012/0285418 observes that such engines require different arrangements for effective, mixing of fuel and air. Providing for effective mixing of fuel in air in conventional engine cylinders is, of course, also important.
It is desirable to provide an arrangement for effectively mixing fuel and air in an engine cylinder, particularly for an opposed piston engine cylinder.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a combustion chamber for an internal combustion engine comprises a cylinder wall defining a cylinder, a fuel injector disposed in a first opening in the cylinder wall, and a piston head disposed in the cylinder, a piston bowl at least partially defined by a wall having a generally spiral shape being provided in a top of the piston head.
According to another aspect of the invention, an engine comprising such a combustion chamber is provided.